Fireplace heater



Sept. 1, 1936. A. B. MoDlNE FIREPLACE HEATER Filed March 28, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 sept. 1, 1936.

A. B. MoDlNE;

FIREPLACE HEATER Filed March 28, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WU |||||||Il| Sept. l, 1936. l A. B. MODINE 2,052,643

" FIREPLACE HETER Filed March 2,8, 1954 s sheets-sheet s- Patented Sepl-v 1; v

PATENT OFFICE 2,052,643 FmErLAcE HEATER.

Arthur B. Modlne, Racine, Wis., assignor to Modine Manufacturing Company, Racine, Wis.. a corporation of Wisconsin Application March 28, 1934, Serial No. 717,722 7 Claims. (Cl. 126121) My invention belongs to that general class of devicesknown as heaters, and relates more particularly to what may be termed a mechanical fireplace heater adapted to be positioned in a replace to heat air in the room by drawing the same from the room, passing it through the heater and discharging it back into the room.

It is well known that with the general type of I fireplace in which coal, coke or wood is placed inA the fireplace or on a grate therein or in gas grates or the like, the major portion of the heat is discharged up the chimney and only a portion radiated out into the room. It thus happens' that a iireplace although ordinarily a thing of beauty,

adding to the appearance of the room and making the same more attractive, is more or less of a failure insofar as furnishing heat is concerned. If the chimney check damper is closed to prevent the loss of heat up the chimney, the fireplace smokes and the draft is poor, while if it is only partially closed the lire may not burn so readily and less heat be radiated. Where the chimney damper is opened wide practically all of the heat is discharged up the chimney and the only value vof the replace is the radiant heat that may be given oi and its ornamental possibilities in the room. With my improved fireplace the same loses none of its ornamental value andthe gases passing up the chimney have a very considerable portion of the heat units abstracted therefrom to heat air which is circulated and discharged back into the room. Consequently, it is not necessary to choke down the draft, thereby dulling the re or retarding the escape of smoke. I

In my improved device air is taken from th room, thoroughly heated and discharged back into the room under forced draft, without in any w1 interfering with the chimney draft. The

ey draft, however, will be cooler and less heat is wasted. The air may be moistened or humidied as desired. The invention has among its objects the production Yof a device of the kind described that is simple, compact, inexpensive, attractive, durable, emcient and satisfactory for use wherever found applicable.

It has particularly, an object the productionV of a device that will promote the building of replaces with all the advantages thereof and at the,

construction, arrangement and combination of parts herein shown and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference'vcharacters indicate like or corresponding parts: 5

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention;

Flg. 2 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on Y10 line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention illustrating a slightly modified form; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional 4view taken l5 through the ilues on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

My device is intended to be positioned in a replace and serve as a grate for the burning of wood. coal, coke or the like, or to be used in connection with gas, oil, electricity or other sources 20 of heat. As shown, the same consists of a pair of supports or standards I and 2 which are tubular or chambered, the two" standards being connected with tubes or ilues 3 which communicate with the chambers in the standards. These tubes 25 or ues 3 may be of any desired ,shape in crosssection, either cylindrical as shown, elliptical, rectangular or otherwise, and are arranged above the grate l preferably near the top of the standard and at the rear of the device. They may be 30 provided with ns, utes or other equivalent devices. In Flgs. 1 and 2 I haveshown one tube provided with iins 3'. The grate 4 may be of any` suitable type, this dependingr to a large extent upon the material to be burned. 35

The standards are provided with supporting vlegs 5 andmay be provided with spacers and securing means in the shape of rods or bolts 6 6 extending from side to side. of the device. As shown, the grate l, in this particular embodiment 40 of the inventiom'is provided with an upwardly Y extending part l' and the grate hung-or supported from the rods 6-6 at the front and back (see A plate 9 mayalso be provided to additionally support the grate. The rear end of the 45 vgrate is therefore supported by the engagement with an air intake and the other Vwith an air discharge outlet. As shown, 8 represents a. housing .provided with an'air opening Il or inlet communicating with the chamber 1 in the standard; The housing is arranged to contain a fan l2 of 55 tric motor I3 or equivalent means, air being drawn through and heated'by the device. Obviously,

- air passing through the device is heated from the burning gas or fuel, instead of passing up the chimney as waste heat, and is utilized to effectively heatthe room and it may be mentioned that owing to the forced circulation, the room is thoroughly heated throughout as distinguished from the ordinary replace where the room is heated only from the radiated heat.

.I have shown the standard 2 provided with the water pan I4, within which -is arranged a pad I5 which may be moistened by means of the pipe I6. When it is desired to have the device also serve as a humidier and prevent the heated air from becoming too dry, water may be placed in the pan or the pad used and the pad moistened.

As most clearlyshown in Figs. 1 and 3,1 also providev louvres I1 at the discharge outlet I9. These form a grille and add to the attractiveness of the device, and by making them adjustable it is possible to direct the flow of air up or down as desired.

In the device shown in Figs. 5 and 6, which is a simplied construction, the same general features are embodied in the device, this design ren- 4dering' itself readily applicable to sheet metal construction. Referring to these figures, Hand 42 represent standards which are chambered and communicate with the flues 43. The device is shown provided with a grate 44 and with Vbottom and back plates 45 and 46, respectively. In this case the afir istaken in throughan opening'41 at the side of standard 4I and circulated by means of the fan 48 driven Vby motor 49. The same passes through the chamber 50 through the ues and into chamber 5I from whence it is discharged through the opening 52.v I have shown in Fig. 5 a representationof a portion of a `fireplace F showing the installation of the device in the fireplace. The device shown in Figs. 1 to 4 may be similarly positioned, it being obvious that it is not necessary to rebuild the replace to receive lthe unit.

I have also shownthis embodiment of the invention provided with the plates 53 which serve as a grilleand which may be adjusted to direct the air as desired. The device is also shown with ahumidif-ying pan 54 and ller pipe 55 similar to the construction previously described.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that various immaterial modifications may be made in the same without departing from the spirit of my invention; hence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the exact form,

, thereof, means for moistening said air prior to vided with an opening adjacent the floor level .ing between said standards and communicating 2,052,643 suitable size-shape and design driven by an eley/ municating `with the chambers therein, al grate interposed between the standards, and providing a fuel receptacle open at its top and frontsides, means for causing. a circulation of air into one standard through the iiuesv and out of the other 5 standard adjacent the door level at the front side thereof, and means in one of said standards for moistening said air prior toits discharge from the heater.

2. A portable fireplace heater adapted 4to be positioned in a fire-place recess and consisting of a pair` of spaced chambered standards, iiues extending between said standards and communi-l cating with the chambers therein adjacent the upper portion thereof, a grate interposed between the standards and providing a fuel receptacle open vat its top and front sides, means for causing a circulation of air into the lower portion of one standard through the ues and out of the other standardI from adjacent the lower front side 20 thereof, and adjustable means in said other standard for regulating theanglev of air discharge from the heater.

3. A portable hre-place heater adapted to be vpositioned in a frefplace recess and consisting of causing a. circulation of air into one standard through vthe flues and out of the other standard from adjacent the :door level `at the` front side its discharge from the heater, Y and adjustable means for regulating the angle of air discharge from .the heater. l 4. A heater adapted to be positioned in a replace, comprising a portable unit consisting of a grate providing a fuelreceptacle open at its front and top sides, chambered supports for said grate varranged at thel ends thereof, iiues'communicating with the interior of said supports andextending above said grate, one of said supports pro'- vided with an air inlet adjacent its front side and with means for forcing air therethrough into the support and through said ues and other support, said last-mentioned support being pro.-

for the discharge of air forwardly therefrom. and adjustable meansadjacent said dischargev opening for controlling the directionof Aow of the -air therethrough.

5. A'portable re-place heater adapted to be positioned in a fire-piace recess and consisting of a pair of spaced chambered standardsv having inlet and discharge openings formedthereinu adjacent the oor level, respectively, ues extendwith the chambers therein, one of said fiues being8o provided with ns, a grateinterposed between the standards and providing a fuel receptacleA open at its top and front sides, a fan adjacent said inlet provided with driving means for causing 4a circulation of air into one standard through 65 the ilues and out the discharge opening of the other standard, means for moistening said air prior to its discharge from the heater, and means for controlling the angle of'air discharge from said other standard. Y 'j 70 6. Ina heater adapted to be-positioned in a fire-place recess, a portable unit'consisting of a grate providing a fuel receptacle open at its front and top sides, supports for said grate consisting of standards arranged at the ends thereof and 75 t a,ofsa,e4s Provided with chambers therein, dues extending between the standards and communicating-with said chambers and extending above said grate,

one of said standards being provided with an air inlet adjacent its front side, means for inducing a circulation of air therethrough into the support and through said ilues and other support, said last mentioned. support provided with an outlet adjacent the floor level tor the discharge of air therefrom.

'1. A portable dre-place heater adapted for positioning in a lire-place recess and comprising a ARTHUR B. MODINE. 

